The next course is served…

The kids are back at school and the students are about to start at uni, but there’s still time for grown-ups to enrol on one of the many autumn term Spanish courses at the Instituto Cervantes London, which start from Monday, September 27.

And if you can’t, don’t want to or just don’t need to go to Spanish lessons, there’s a range of other activities suitable for everyone – young and not-so-young.

Germán’s theatre course will start again on Wednesday evenings from October 6, for anyone who speaks Spanish at intermediate level or above. Germán and his Tierra Theatre company also have some performances planned – we’ll bring you more news of that soon.

Sandra’s first series of Monday flamenco and sevillanas classes has already started, but she’ll be back for a second round from November 15 to December 13. And if those courses sound a bit too energetic, you can practise your Spanish (higher levels only) through literature and conversation on Wednesdays, Thursdays or Saturdays from October 6.

To download a PDF with the full course timetable and prices, click here.

The Instituto Cervantes may be best known for teaching Spanish to adults, but we’ve got more children’s activities than ever this autumn.

Specialist children’s teachers from La Jolie Ronde will be with us again to give Spanish lessons for kids aged seven to 11 on Saturday mornings from October 2 to December 11, with a break at half-term.

London now has a huge Spanish-speaking community, so we are also running a new course for Spanish-speaking children aged seven to 11 on Wednesday afternoons (4.15 to 5.15pm).

The ladies from La Jolie Ronde are never too heavy with the text books, but these classes especially will encourage creativity with language through entertaining, fun activities. They could also be a great way to make new friends.

Spanish-speaking children can also enjoy two autumn workshops organised by the culture department. The first, theatre and story-telling for children aged five to eight, is from 10.30am to 1pm on Saturday October 9; the second, story-telling and art, is on Saturday November 13 at the same time. Both these workshops are free, but places are limited and must be reserved by emailing cultlon1@cervantes.es

The autumn culture programme has already started with two fascinating evenings – one exploring the Alhambra through maths, and the other the rather more controversial topic of the Spanish Civil War.

As always there’s a strong Latin American flavour, and next up is Stephen Hart, biographer of the great Gabriel García Marquez, on Tuesday September 28.

After that there’s book presentations, poetry readings as our series Deciphering the Alhambra continues, history, music and a series of Mexican Revolution films, right up to a visit by The Guardian’s Madrid correspondent Giles Tremlett, presenting his book on Catherine of Aragon on December 8.

We’ll be bringing you as many reviews as possible from these events, in both English and Spanish, and the library should have some podcasts for you as well, but it’ll be even better to see you there…

A feast of film

SIXTH LONDON SPANISH FILM FESTIVAL – 24 SEPTEMBER TO 7 OCTOBER 2010

UNLESS they’re directed by Almodóvar and/or feature the wondrously perfect Penélope Cruz, few Spanish films make the breakthrough into mainstream British cinemas.

So the annual London Spanish Film Festival, which opens its sixth edition on September 24,  is a unique opportunity for the British public – and Spanish expats – to enoy the best recent releases from Spain.

What’s more, festival director Joana Granero has once again lined up a series of Q&A sessions with appearances by some of the leading figures in Spanish cinema.

Maribel Verdú in Tetro, directed by Francis Ford Coppola

Highlights include a conversation with actress Maribel Verdú (Pan’s Labyrinth, Y Tu Mama También) on September 25 after a screening of Francis Ford Coppola’s Tetro, while top director Carlos Saura will be speaking after a screening of his latest film Io, Don Giovanni on October 2.

The festival naturally focuses on films released over the past 12 months or so, and opens with Celda 211 (Cell 211) – a tense prison drama which swept the boards at this year’s Goya Awards.

LondonSpanish is also very keen to see Chico y Rita – an animated love story set in pre-revolution Cuba – after catching a sneak preview during co-director Javier Mariscal’s brilliant exhibition at the Design Museum last year.

Maribel Verdú is honoured with a special feature, including screenings of her past work such as 2001′s Y Tu Mama También, and the festival also has special sections dedicated to Catalan and Basque cinema.

Joana has put together a two-week programme packed with special previews and UK premieres, plus other events including a round-table discussion on acting, and a photo exhibition supported by the Instituto Cervantes London which is taking place at Ibérica restaurant in Great Portland Street.

Major screenings take place at the Ciné Lumière, part of the Institut Français in South Kensington, with others held at Shortwave in Bermondsey and International House in Holborn. To see the full programme, and book tickets online, go to www.londonspanishfilmfestival.com. All the films, with the exception of shorts, are shown with English subtitles.

Behind the scenes, the festival will also play host to a series of industry meetings, with Spanish agents and producers talking to UK distributors to explore ways of showing more Spanish films here in the future. Here’s hoping they find their meetings productive…

Lo mejor del cine español … aquí en Londres

En la última década el panorama del cine español ha ido ampliando horizontes para conseguir un hueco a nivel internacional. En su sexta edición el London Spanish Film Festival sigue apostando por la promoción del séptimo arte con raíces españolas, en el que se dan cita figuras de reconocido prestigio de la escena cinematográfica española (directores, actores). Un escaparate perfecto donde el público británico tiene la oportunidad de ver las prémieres de las películas españolas más destacadas no proyectadas en Reino Unido.

El filme Celda 211, triunfadora en los Premios Goya 2009 incluyendo mejor película, mejor director y mejor actor (Luis Tosar) y último proyecto del director Daniel Monzón será el encargado de abrir el festival seguido por una sesión de preguntas y respuestas con el propio director acompañado por Isabel Santaolalla, profesora de la Universidad de Roehampton.

Las sesiones de Q&A (questions and answers- preguntas y respuestas) serán una de las actividades organizadas para el programa del festival, consistente en una charla con el director y/o alguna otra persona vinculada al panorama cinematográfico español con la posterior ronda de preguntas por parte del público asistente.

La actriz Maribel Verdú será presencia destacada en el festival. Por una parte, por las proyecciones de varias películas en las que es protagonista. A su vez concederá una entrevista seguida de la proyección de uno de sus últimos trabajos Tetro con la que consiguió el Goya a la mejor actriz en 2009, un film dirigido por Francis Ford Coppola.

Entre las secciones especiales del London Spanish Film Festival cabe destacar Catalan Window y Basque Window, oportunidad única de promocionar el cine de regiones españolas fuera de sus fronteras.

El programa detallado y más información puede encontrarse en la página oficial de London Spanish Film Festival.

Raíces flamencas en Londres

  

Desde 1984 “La Peña Flamenca de Londres” está afincada en la capital británica. Durante poco más de un cuarto de siglo ha echado sus raíces y se ha establecido como una asociación folclórica, cual una peña sita en España se tratara. Todo conseguido a base de empeño, esfuerzo y mucha pasión por el arte flamenco. La peña se reúne una vez al mes en el centro de Londres, cerca de la estación de Euston. Cuenta con aproximadamente 400 socios que disfrutan de descuentos especiales para la entrada a espectáculos (£7). Aunque cualquier persona interesada es bienvenida, abonando el precio normal de la entrada (£12), teniendo la posibilidad de adentrarse en un ambiente agradable en el que se puede respirar cantes flamencos, toques de guitarra y pasos de baile en un tablao que invita a actuar  a artistas de reconocido prestigio como a atrevidos y apasionados que quieren probar suerte y sentir la magia y energía que derrocha el escenario. 

La Peña Flamenca de Londres se reúne el segundo domingo de cada mes (a partir de septiembre) ofreciendo un amplio programa cultural para este otoño. Dará comienzo el próximo 12 de septiembre con la actuación de Aire Flamenco, desembarcando directamente desde Sevilla y con la dirección de Noemí Luz, artista que ha aprendido de maestros como Farruquito, Eva Hierbabuena, Rocío Molina entre otros. 

La siguiente cita es el 10 de octubre con el grupo ¡Viva Jerez! contando con la presencia de Tatiana Ruiz y Manuel Soto. El 14 de noviembre, es el turno del espectáculo Juerga! que abre las puertas a los interesados que deseean subirse al tablao esa noche. Además el artista  Jero Férec presentará su primer trabajo. 

Aparte de los espectáculos que se ofrecen, La Peña Flamenca se puede considerar toda una institución de acogida para artistas flamencos emigrantes. Un sitio para contactar con ellos, para aprender, para divertirse pero sobre todo para que nunca se olviden las raíces de nuestra tierra. 

Como ya es sabido, la ciudad londinense siempre ha abierto las puertas al arte flamenco, una de las grandes razones por las que La Peña Flamenca mantenga su espíritu vivo y con ganas de continuar su trayectoria por mucho tiempo más. 

A NEW SEASON OF FLAMENCO IN LONDON

Jorge Muelas

 

SUMMER’S just about over and the nights are drawing in, but London offers plenty of opportunities to relive the sultry Spanish evenings of our holidays. We’ve mentioned the capital’s thriving flamenco scene before, and autumn brings a new wave of exciting events. 

España on Fire is a regular gig held upstairs at the famous Ronnie Scott’s in Frith Street, Soho, on the first Sunday of the month. This Sunday, September 5, dancer Jorge Muelas, Demi García (percussion) and singer Javier Macías will be performing a mix of flamenco and fusion styles. The show is followed by the usual jam session – so musicians are invited to take along their instruments, and everyone else is advised to put on their dancing shoes. It all starts at 7pm.

The long-established Peña Flamenca de Londres meets on the second Sunday of each month at the St Aloysius Social Club in NW1, and gives London audiences the chance to enjoy live performances by some of flamenco’s most exciting talents.

The Peña opens its autumn programme on September 12 with Aire Flamenco from Seville. This show is led by Noemi Luz, who has studied with stars such as Farruquito, Eva Yerbabuena and Rocio Molina, and who now works professionally in Seville.

Noemi and her colleagues Argiró la Griega and Socrates Mastrodimos will also be holding workshops at Dance Attic in Fulham over the weekend of September 11 and 12. For information email Noemiflamenco@myspace.com or call 0777 207 1733.

The Peña will follow up on October 10 with Viva Jerez!, led by Tatiana Ruíz, daughter of La Chiqui de Jerez. Tatiana and singer Manuel Soto will also be giving workshops – email ilusionflamenca@hotmail.com if you want to take part.

Then on November 14 the Peña will once again be staging its renowned Juerga! evening, an open-stage event that attracts a variety of performers from far and wide. Rising star Jero Férec will also be launching his first CD – at the tender age of 17.

To find out more or to join the Peña Flamenca de Londres, visit www.flamenco-london.org.uk or call 0207 703 6893.  Entry to events is £7 for members or £12 for the general public.